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Cell membranes are way more complicated than you think - Nazzy Pakpour

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Cell membranes are structures of contradictions. These oily films are hundreds of times thinner than a strand of spider silk, yet strong enough to protect the delicate contents of life: the cell’s watery cytoplasm, genetic material, organelles, and all the molecules it needs to survive. How does the membrane work, and where does that strength come from? Nazzy Pakpour investigates.

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  • Educator Nazzy Pakpour
  • Director Michael Kalopaidis
  • Script Editor Eleanor Nelsen
  • Animator Andria Pourouti
  • Designer Dinos Hadjidemetri
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by TED-Ed

Cell membranes might be described as the key component of a cell and life in general. Explain.

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Avatar for Emily Longbine
Lesson in progress

The cell membrane keeps out all things harmful to the cell, and because the cell is the key to life the cell membrane is what keeps us alive. Without the cell membrane, our body would be easily infected by diseases and dangerous bacteria. If the cell membrane weren't permeable or if it was fully permeable all cells would be in danger. The cell membrane's selective permeability is what allows for life to live and for cells to survive. In short, without the cell membrane life wouldn't be possible, the cell membrane is the key component to life and cells.


Avatar for Malik Washington
Lesson completed

Without cells they would not be able to do stuff we do or our bodies wouldn't be healthy.


Avatar for Tianna Shields
Lesson completed

with out cells we wouldn't be healthy or alive like how we are now


Avatar for Malachi Washington
Lesson completed

We wouldn't be able to do the stuff we do as our regular selves do, and we wouldn't have enough strength to do the things we do.


Avatar for A'Layah Robinson
Lesson completed

with cells we would not be able to do as half of the stuff we do now


Avatar for Nashawn Barker
Lesson in progress

in response to Danielle Collins Show comment

without cells our bodies wouldn't be as good as now or as healthy and safe


Avatar for Danielle Collins
Lesson completed

Cell are the smallest unit of life. They only arise from other cells by mitosis. All organisms are made up of one or more cells.


Avatar for MAYEH GREEN
Lesson completed

they make tissue, later they makes organs and system of organs. they protect us from bateria and other toxic components. they like stones with make building, a lot of stones which build in a certain way, calle building. the same with us. millions and millions cell make us and it doesnt maintain the structure of the cell


Avatar for Rozel Atillo
Lesson in progress

The cell membrane protects what's inside our cells such as genetic material, our Golgi apparatus, and many more. The organelles inside the cell carry out the different functions in life from synthesizing proteins, replicating DNA, to cell production. Cells are the basic unit of life, without the cell membrane serving as the barrier and holding the cell together; there won't be any traces of life.


Avatar for Ayiana Gozon
Lesson in progress

The Cell membrane is a very crucial part of a cell because first of all, without the cell membrane, the organelles are unable to function properly, and there will actually be no cell without the bilayers. Additionally, membrane proteins are an essential part of different transportations going in and out of the phospholipid bilayer. An example would be the immobilized enzymes, which states when a membrane protein is attached at the hydrophilic (phosphate head), and food from the small intestine passes beside it, the food is then converted to maltose, and then to smaller molecules, such as glucose with the help of the membrane protein.

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